Avenge the Fallen
by Ddragoon warrior
Summary: After Tao Wan's family is killed, he sets out to avenge them, only to gain more than he expected. Includes OCs and real characters
1. Terror Strikes

Avenge the Fallen

After Tao Wan's family is killed, he sets out to avenge them only to gain more than he expected. Includes OC and real characters.

I'm very sorry if I changed the whole story. I had to make a lot of changes to help keep the story together. The plot will be similar to the other one; I just changed a few details; correction, a lot of details. It will take me longer to introduce the real characters, but I will fit them into the chapters somehow. I'm sorry if I disappointed you guys. Thank you for the reviews. They really helped me to write this over. Anyway, enjoy the newly edited version.

Disclaimer: Dynasty Warriors is owned by KOEI.

Chapter 1: Terror Strikes

Fire. It was all that he thought about for the past three months. Tao Wan sat under a tree asleep, dreaming again about what happened that night.

(Flashback)

Like any other day, Tao Wan, a boy of nearly eighteen, was practicing his spearsmanship in the woods just outside of the fields. He would usually go there after he was done tending to it. Tao Wan gracefully used his spear to scratch the bark on the trees for practice while delivering strong blows to its trunk.

"Must train harder," he said to himself. He would practice for hours, but still he didn't feel strong enough. He had to be if he was going to enlist in the imperial army.

"I see you are still practicing out here," a voice surprised him. Tao Wan turned around and saw Wang Yin, a retired army veteran and his teacher, standing in between a couple of trees, his spear in hand. "Shouldn't you be back home?"

"I'm training, can't you see that?" Tao Wan responded.

"Arrogant as always I see. Just like your father." Tao Wan spat at the ground and continued his training. "Just because you train hard, doesn't mean that you will get into the imperial army. You have to have respect for those that are in a higher position than you."

Tao Wan flinched at the sound of the retired general's words. He started to attack the tree more violently.

A minute or two passed before Wang Yin spoke again. "Anyway, I came to give you this." Tao Wan stopped and faced him. "I don't think that I will be needing this from now on." Wang Yin walked closer to Tao Wan and held out his spear. Surprised, Tao Wan stepped back.

"Are you sure you want to give this to me?" he asked

"Yeah. You have been the most determined little warrior that I have met. You remind me of myself, except that you need to grow your hair longer, build more muscle, and fix your attitude." He laughed. "But you have to promise me that you will take care of it."

Tao Wan nodded and put his hand on the spear. Wang Yin smiled shoving the spear into Tao Wan's hands.

"How about a sparring battle for old time's sake?"

Tears crept in Tao Wan's eyes as he hugged Wang Yin.

It was nearly nightfall when they both were finished. Tao Wan watched as Wang Yin slowly disappeared into the trees surrounding the village. Feeling tired from their sparring match, Tao Wan decided to head home.

He sneaked through the trees, making sure that he wasn't seen nor heard.

Tao Wan was a few yards away from the entrance when he heard two foreign voices close to where he was. Quickly while still maintaining his stealthiness, he hid behind a nearby tree to avoid detection.

Their steps became louder and louder, making Tao Wan more nervous. He slowly gazed around the tree and saw two men.

"Do we start the plan now?" the tall and muscular guy said to the slim and weaker one.

_Bandits_, Tao Wan suddenly thought. _What are they doing here?_

"Wait till the others signal the fire," the other one replied. Shock and worry rushed through Tao Wan's body forcing him to lose his grip on his spear. It slowly fell to the ground and rustled in the fallen leaves.

"What was that?" one of them asked with suspicion. "I'll check it out."

Tao Wan's instincts told him to run, but he forced himself to stay. He slowly reached for the spear and pulled it close to him, ready to attack the bandit as soon as he was close enough.

"The signal," the small guy caught the other's attention. Slowly, his footsteps became more silent, and soon, another pair followed.

Tao Wan had no time to waist. He quickly ran the rest of the way trying to get to the village before they started the attack.

"A _perfect_ time for Wang Yin to leave," he complained.

He was near the front gate, leading inside when the explosion was set off. The force of it knocked Tao Wan to the ground, stunning him for a short time.

"No," he softly said. Fire danced everywhere inside lighting the night in a sea of orange and yellow. People ran for their lives, even though they were on fire.

Bandits, one by one, appeared out of nowhere and ambushed the panicking villagers. Not caring about what might happen to him, Tao Wan jumped onto his feet and sprinted toward his house.

Everywhere there was fire. Bodies lay burning on the ground, giving off a horrible smell. By the time Tao Wan reached his house it had already collapsed.

"Mom, Dad, Mei Qian," the panicking boy whispered to himself before falling to his knees.

He knelt there sobbing; a bandit approached him from behind. Tao Wan didn't notice until it was too late. With a slash of his sword, he sent Tao Wan to the ground, a vicious gash lined his back.

Desperately trying to ignore the pain, he reached for his spear and threw it at the bandit. He flew back and squirmed, trying to get the spear out, which was lodged deep in his chest. Slowly, his movements dulled until he stopped.

Struggling to stay up and hold back the pain, Tao Wan grabbed his spear and made his way down the road and out of the village.

"It…hurts," he said before collapsing on the dirt road and blacking out.

Very sorry. Very sorry. Very sorry. Very sorry. Very sorry. I hope I didn't totally kill the story. Please review. If you liked the old one better, then I will change it back. Good thing I saved it onto my computer. Just as heads up, the next chapter will also be a flashback. It will be until, I hope not later than chapter 5. Thank you.


	2. Treasured Memories

Okay, I added this part to help move the story along from chapter 1. I hope you like it. Thanks for the reviews. This story has now officially changed from what I wanted it to be. This version is even better. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: Dynasty Warriors is owned by KOEI.

Chapter 2: Treasured Memories

(Flashback)

"Father, leave him alone," a girl's voice said. Tao Wan could barely hear whoever was talking.

"I'm just checking," a male voice answered.

Tao Wan struggled to get up, but he couldn't. All his actions caused him pain. He couldn't even open his eyes to see what was happening. All he remembered was that instant before he passed out then everything went black.

_Where am I? _He asked himself. _Who are these people_?

"How is he doing?" the same male voice asked.

"I bandaged the cut on his back and covered his burns. That is all I can do," she responded. "Poor guy, I wonder what happened to him?"

"Whatever happened, he is lucky that he survived."

Tao Wan lied on his back in pain. The two voices still conversed with each other.

There was a long pause until the man spoke again. "So…you sure that he is still alive?"

"Father, please." Tao Wan heard the sound of slapping then the sound of a door closing. He didn't know if he was left alone or they were still there. All he thought was what he was going to do now. His parents were gone and there was no one to help him.

_I'm all alone_. He thought to himself.

"I hope that we didn't wake you," the girl softly said. "My father is not the brightest person. It was a good thing that I found you."

_Are you talking to me?_ He asked her in his thought. All Tao Wan could do was listen to get a better knowledge of where he was. He tried to move around again but she put her hand on Tao Wan's chest, telling him to stop.

"Don't worry. You are in my house, if that's what's bothering you. By the way, my name is Yian Xi. What surprised me is that you are still alive. Many people with a fatal cut like that would be dead already. You are not like other people, huh?" He listened and conversed in his thought as she continued talking.

"The spear that you have with you, where did you get it? I haven't seen anything like it. Are you part of the imperial army?"

_Why does it matter? I'll never get there now._ Even though his eyes were closed, he felt a tear.

"You look like you can be. You have the strong build as one, and the muscles to prove it."

Tao Wan was surprised about how much detail she paid attention to his body_. Why does she need to know this?_ he asked himself.

"It is no surprise that you are still asleep. You lost a lot of blood when we found you."

She leaned in closer to where he lay, stroking her fingers in his long black hair. "Please get better," she asked while leaning in closer to his face, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. Yian Xi got up from his side and walked out the door, leaving Tao Wan by himself.

Sleep steadily consumed him. "Yian…Xi," he said before falling asleep.

By the time Tao Wan woke up, the sun was shining on his face. Surprisingly, he didn't hurt that badly and was able to move himself. Tao Wan slowly sat himself on the edge of the bed and moaned.

_How long was I asleep?_ he said, holding his head with his bandaged right arm. He tried to look around, but his vision was still blurry. _Yian Xi._

Slowly, the door leading into the room crept open.

"You're awake!" Yian Xi said before running to his side. "You shouldn't be sitting up. The wound on your back hasn't fully recovered."

"Where…am…I?" he struggled to ask, his voice raspy.

"Don't worry, you are in my home," she answered.

"How long…have I been asleep," he said, clearing his throat.

"A long time. Probably nearly half a month."

Shocked, he tried to quickly stand up, but pain rushed through his body forcing him back down onto the bed.

"You won't be going anywhere if you continue to do that. Besides, how did you get that gash on your back?" she said puzzled.

"Fire…" Tao Wan said confused. "… Fire, and…pain." He tried as best as he could to try and remember what happened that night.

"Fire and pain? Not really much of an answer but still a good start." She smiled at him while taking out a bowl of rice soup. It was still steaming hot, but the smell of it hungered Tao Wan. "Here, I made this for you. I hope you like it."

His sight was still a blur and couldn't make out what she looked like. A soft voice and a caring personality was the only things that Tao Wan needed to recognize a trustworthy person.

"Open wide," Yian Xi asked. He obeyed while she poured a spoonful into his mouth. It nearly burned the boy's tongue, but he quickly swallowed it. The taste was bland, but Tao Wan didn't mind, so long as he had something in his stomach.

As she continued to feed him, he talked about himself and his village.

Tao Wan continued to stay in Yian Xi's hospitality until he was fully healed. Throughout the whole month he was healing, he helped around the village trying to repay them for their kindness. Tao Wan started to feel more at home every minute he was there, even though his real home was now just a memory.

By the time he was able to wield his spear again, he started training at night and during the time after his chores. Yian Xi would be there with him, cheering him on. The young girl looked similar to Mei Qian in every way. Her long hair, brown eyes, and caring personality reminded him of his sister, except that she didn't tell her parents about every bad thing that Tao Wan did.

He lived with Yian Xi and her family and protected them while still recovering from that incident. Tao Wan always thought about the fire and his real family. All he wanted was to avenge them. No matter who he had to kill to get his answers, he would find out.

By the time Tao Wan's wounds were healed, it was already a month since he was taken there. He felt stronger and ready to find the murderer of his family. Nearly the whole village was there to see him go.

"Thank you. I promise that I will return someday," Tao Wan said to the cheering villagers. His new mother and father walked up to him and held out two items wrapped in cloth.

"These are for you," the short and elderly mother said to Tao Wan. "Please, don't lose them."

All three of them bowed as Tao Wan accepted their gifts. He undid the cloth straps to reveal two identical blades. They shined in the sunlight, newly made. Thankful, he bowed once again to them before turning his attention to Yian Xi. She stood behind her parents, looking away from Tao Wan. Yian Xi was blushing as he stared at her.

"Yian Xi…I…" he tried to say before she stopped him. She pulled out a small piece of cloth and shoved it into Tao Wan's arms. The villagers looked at Tao Wan while he opened the red strip of cloth. Gold thread was woven into it, portraying a picture of a dragon. Every detail was precise, from every thread to the next.

"I made it for you, along with this." Yian Xi pulled out a red tunic and leggings. A golden dragon was also woven into the threading.

Tao Wan gratefully tied it on, and to his surprise, it fit him comfortably. A gold dragon was woven into it, circling around from front to back. He tied his shirt with his sash, completing his outfit.

"Yian Xi, this is amazing. How did you…"

"I had a lot of free time," she explained.

"Thank you," Tao Wan whispered into her ear as he hugged her. She started to blush even more.

With his spear in hand and blades in their sheathes, he said his last farewells and walked down the road toward the East.

"Yian Xi said that the closest place to look for clues is in Jiang Dong, the Wu kingdom."

(End Flashback)

Okay, so I hope this chapter turned out great. I added this to get a deeper understanding of how his weapons were so precious to him. Sorry, I had no other idea. Now we should be getting back to the story. If anyone has any questions, please add it into your review. Thanks.


	3. Qio Shi, the Strange

Thank you for the reviews. Now since I have a thesaurus, I hope this chapter will sound much better. By the way, the story will be progressing now, no more flashbacks. Nothing to say except, enjoy.

Disclaimer: Dynasty Warriors and KOEI, yeah.

Chapter 3: Qio Shi, the Strange

The sun was high in the sky when Tao Wan woke up from his long slumber. He rubbed his eyes, focusing on the landscape. It was nearly summer when Tao Wan left Yian Xi's village. He lost all sense of time when he was there.

Birds chirped a rhythmic melody while soaring through the sky. Using his spear as support, Tao Wan got up from the patch of grass that he was sleeping in and stretched out his arms and legs.

"I should really find a better place to sleep," he said to himself.

He started to sprint down the road toward the East. It would take Tao Wan at least two days to get to his destination on foot. His speed was slow, but sufficient. Ahead of him stood three men, their hands ready to unsheathe their swords. They blocked Tao Wan's path, forcing him to stop.

"Well boys, look what we have here," the leader of the bandits chuckled over-confidently. "He would make a fine addition to our collection." The other two sneered.

A small sobbing echoed from the nearby trees. Behind them, a helpless woman laid on her side. Bruises and scratches covered her body while her clothes were tattered and torn. Her long black hair covered one of her hazel colored eyes. Her body was small and thin, as if she hadn't eaten for weeks. She looked as if she was nearly as tall as Tao Wan. "Please help me," she begged.

One of the bandits rushed to her and punched her on the cheek. The force of it left her lying on the ground, head turned away from Tao Wan. "Shut up, slave," the bandit demanded while returning to his comrades.

"Unforgivable," Tao Wan said to the bandits. "I wanted to just teach you guys a lesson for treating a woman like that, but you just went to far." Anger rose inside of Tao Wan and he gripped his spear tighter.

"A tough guy huh?" the leader taunted while unsheathing his sword. The other two followed his actions. Foolishly, the leader ran toward Tao Wan ready to attack. With a quick thrust at the bandit's exposed chest from the blunt end of his spear, Tao Wan sent him flying back toward his men. He landed on his back grabbing his chest in pain while trying to support himself on one knee. The other two bent down and helped lift their captain up.

Tao Wan walked past them, threatening to kill the three of them with his spear if they got to close. The woman struggled to get up. Tao Wan bent down and offered his hand to help her and she excepted. He pulled her up to her feet.

"You bastard," one of the two men cried out. Tao Wan turned around and saw that they both had their swords out, ready to attack. Their arms shook nervously.

"A challenge?" Tao Wan asked, taunting them. The two bandits tightened their grip on their swords.

With a sigh, Tao Wan dropped his spear and unsheathed his two blades. They flinched as Tao Wan came rushing at them. With one slash of his small blades, he cut one of their swords in half and followed up with a swift kick to the bandit owner's head, forcing him to crash into his comrades. All three of them stumbled on the ground. The woman stared at Tao Wan and his fierce way of combat.

Feeling more bloodthirsty, Tao Wan jumped onto one of the bandits, stabbing him in the chest with both of his blades.

"This is for hurting that woman," Tao Wan whispered to him. Fear shone in the bandit's eyes as Tao Wan leaped off of him into the air. While still airborne, he threw his blades at the bandit, piercing his arms and pinning him down. "The sad thing is, you all will be dead by the time I am done."

Tao Wan grabbed his spear from the ground and walked back over to the bandit. He stabbed the spear into the bandit's midsection, killing him. The other two were still knocked out on the ground.

He returned to the woman's side blades in their sheaths and the spear in his hand.

"I suggest that you run away or cover your eyes. It will get gruesome," he warned her.

Foolishly, one of the other bandits charged at Tao Wan sword raised. "I will kill you," he yelled out.

In a blink of an eye, Tao Wan released his spear and brandished his blades. He stabbed the bandit slowing his speed, before ripping a gash in his stomach. Blood splattered everywhere as the bandit stopped. Tao Wan spun on the ball of his foot and dealt a finishing uppercut to the bandit's jaw, forcing him into the air and landing with a thud on the ground. He lay in a pool of his own blood.

"Two down, one to go," Tao Wan said while walking over to the bandit leader. He picked him up by the collar of his shirt and held him by the neck, threatening to slit his throat. "Now, I will ask you some questions, and if you want to live, you better answer them." The leader nodded his head.

Tao Wan asked him about the fire in his village to see if they had any connections of information about it. When the bandit leader refused to answer, Tao Wan poked at his vulnerable throat forcing him to relinquish the information.

"Thank you for the information, but its too bad for you," Tao Wan whispered into his ear. The bandit opened his eyes wide at the thought of himself being killed. "I don't show any mercy to people like you," Tao Wan said before pressing the blade closer onto his neck.

"Hey, wait, please, no!" The leader desperately grabbed Tao Wan's arm trying to free himself but it was too late. With a desperate cry for help he fell to the floor, blood rushing out for his neck. The woman looked at the blood soaked Tao Wan with gratitude in her eyes.

Tao Wan walked over to her.

"Thank you," she said while bowing on her knees.

"Don't need to thank me. I couldn't leave such a beautiful maiden alone to fend for herself." She stood up and blushed, not noticing that there was blood on her lip. "You're bleeding," Tao Wan pointed out to her.

She touched her lip and was surprised that she was. Tao Wan tore off one of his sleeves and handed it to her. She dabbed it onto her lip, then put it into her pocket.

"Where are you headed?" he asked her. She looked surprised as he spoke.

"…Jiang Dong," she said before sprinting off down the road. Surprisingly, she was fast for one so skinny.

"Hey wait!" the confused general yelled out. "What is your name?"

She slowed to a stop and turned to look at Tao Wan. "Qio Shi!" she responded before running off again.

With a sigh, Tao Wan strolled back onto the road and headed toward Jiang Dong, continuing his search.

Sorry if this chapter didn't turn out great. It tried to write it nearly exactly like my first one, so yeah. Not really much to say, except thanks for reading. By the way, I am planning on adding another OC character but I have run out of ideas. If anyone has any ideas, then please add it into your review, I'd greatly appreciate it. Please include every detail about them, looks, personality, what weapon they use, that kind of sort. I need a lot of ideas, but I will only pick one. Tan Xian will be in the next one, so she will be staying.


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